3 minute read
A Lifelong Love of Collecting
Steve Turner ‘82 first demonstrated his love for collecting when he was just six years old, and “one collection turned into another,” Turner shared. It started with stamps, coins and baseball cards and has since evolved into a profession, one that allows him to conduct his own primary research and glean new information about times past.
Fueled by curiosity and driven by the pursuit of truth, Turner has continued to collect to this day. The majority of his material focuses on American and European history, with Southern California and California as a whole being his primary focus. Many of the items in his collections tell a deeper story than what can commonly be found in history books.
The Steve Turner African Americana Collection, or the “Turner Collection,” was recently donated to the Library and is now housed in Special Collections & Archives. It comprises more than 300 items, including rare photographs, pamphlets, photocards, posters and pinback buttons, many from the 19th century and all of which shed new light on the African American experience, particularly in the American West.
“Each piece in the African Americana collection sheds new light on the experiences of Black Americans migrating west during the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” said Turner. “I am happy to know that they will now be accessible to scholars of American history.”
Turner hopes the donation of these materials helps inspire investigation. “My hope is that by donating this collection to the UC San Diego Library, researchers will begin to find new truths about the African American experience in the 19th and early 20th century,” Turner said, and then he gave an example.
“There are two photos of Jack Johnson, an African American boxer who was at the height of his career during the Jim Crow era, in the collection, both of which could benefit from additional research. The first image was taken when he had just returned to the United States and surrendered to authorities [for violating the Mann Act]. The second is of him in Tijuana in front of a saloon. Fascinating to think about the facts surrounding these moments.”
Steve Turner
Other notable items include original photographic postcards depicting Reuben “The Guide” Williams, a tour guide who escorted tourists from the border to the small village of Tijuana for at least 10 years at the turn of the century. The photocards tell us that he was a notable enough figure to have been placed on a postcard and speak to his success as a tour guide during that time. Something worth further investigation, Turner thinks.
When asked why Turner decided to give his African Americana collection to the Library, he spoke of his great respect for Special Collections & Archives. “Luckily, my desire to give something to UC San Diego coincided with the fact that Lynda Claassen was going to be overseeing and curating the materials. She’s a true visionary, steward and builder of the collections in her care.”
Claassen, who has been serving as director of Special Collections & Archives since 1983, said, “We are truly honored to have received these materials. Each piece adds to the historical fabric from which so many different stories can be created. Each contributes to a different perspective on the American experience during this time. We very much look forward to sharing this collection with our Triton community and the public.”
Claassen and team are working hard to get the materials digitized so they are more readily accessible to Library patrons. The collection is expected to be fully online in 2022.
